EP2816103A1 - Device for handling petri dishes - Google Patents

Abstract

To turn Petri dishes by 180 ° and to detach the bottom of the lid, a rotary holder (8) is provided, which has two positions (23, 24) for receiving Petri dishes. By rotating the rotary holder (8) about an axis of rotation (21), the Petri dishes in the two positions (23, 24) are reversed and turned over. Then the bottom (10b) of the upper Petri dish is lowered and gripped by a gripper (14).

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a device for handling Petri dishes, a storage device with such a device for handling Petri dishes and a method for operating the device.

background

Petri dishes are flat, round, usually transparent bowls with a bottom and a lid spanning the floor, which are widely used in biology, medicine or chemistry. Petri dishes are used for the cultivation of microorganisms and cell cultures.

Microorganisms are introduced locally into a nutrient medium in the soil. Subsequently, the Petri dishes are usually incubated with the lid down and the nutrient medium upwards. In this storage, the wiped of the plate on the lid, which improves the closure between the lid and bowl. Excess water does not form on the nutrient medium, but accumulates in the lid.

During the incubation period, the growth of the cultures is visually inspected several times. In applications where large numbers of disks are being used, there is a need to automate this process. In this case, a Petri dish is removed from the incubator or the storage device and fed to a processing device, in particular an analysis device, according to specific time specifications. For inspection, the inspection device should be fed with the plates with the nutrient medium down.

To transfer the Petri dishes between the warehouse and inspection device, a transfer device is needed. Usually, this has a pivot arm, which is arranged on a wall of the incubation chamber or storage device. A Petri dish is detected by a vacuum suction device, which is arranged at the outer end of the pivot arm, and removed by means of a rotational movement of 180 degrees from the incubator and turned at the same time. For the inspection device, the vacuum suction device must be removed for inspection.

Out EP 2 482 079 a device is known in which only the bottom of the petri dishes are turned.

Other solutions are based on turning the Petri dishes in the transport lift inside the incubator. There is a risk of contamination of the whole incubator due to the risk of plate loss.

Presentation of the invention

It has as its object to provide a device for handling Petri dishes, a storage device with such a device for handling Petri dishes and a method for operating the device, which have high throughput.

This object is achieved by the subject independent claims. Accordingly, the device has a about a, in particular horizontal, rotary axis rotatable rotary holder. At least a first and a second holder for Petri dishes are arranged on the rotary holder, wherein, by rotating the rotary holder, the first holder is brought from a lower position to an upper position and the second holder is moved from the upper position to the lower position and thereby held in the holders Petri dishes can be turned. This embodiment, in which at least two petri dishes are turned simultaneously and reciprocated between two positions, permits high throughput processing.

The first and second holders are preferably arranged at 180 ° about the axis of rotation.

Advantageously, each holder has a lid holder for receiving the lid of a Petri dish, and a pressure element, wherein the pressure element and the lid holder can be moved radially against each other. The term "radial" is to be understood in the specification and claims with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotary holder, i. it describes an axis or direction which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation and intersects the axis of rotation.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the radial movement is generated by a spreader, which is common to both brackets and with which the pressure elements can be moved radially outward and so against the lid of the held in the holders Petri dishes.

Furthermore, each lid holder advantageously has a lid holder device with which the lid can be held without the bottom in the upper position. The lid-holder device may comprise clamping members, between which the lid can be clamped by means of lateral forces. By "lateral forces" are meant forces acting laterally on the lid, i. directed from the outside against the side walls.

The device may comprise a gripper with which the bottom of a petri dish located in the upper position can be grasped and taken out of this position or inserted into this position. This gripper can advantageously be moved translationally in a direction parallel to the direction of rotation of the rotary holder and have clamping members between where the ground can be clamped by lateral forces. By "Lateral forces" are again to be understood forces that act laterally on the ground, ie from the outside against the side walls.

The invention also relates to a storage device for storage and manipulation, e.g. Inspection, from Petri dishes. The storage device has the above-mentioned device for handling Petri dishes and further a bearing for receiving a plurality of Petri dishes with the lid down and a processing device. The plant is designed so that the Petri dishes can be turned with the mentioned device for handling Petri dishes on their transport path between the warehouse and the processing device.

1. a) Die erste Halterung wird in die untere und die zweite Halterung in die obere Position gebracht;
2. b) eine erste Petrischale wird in der ersten Halterung und eine zweite Petrischale wird in der zweiten Halterung positioniert - dies kann vor, wnhrend oder nach Schritt a) stattfinden;
3. c) durch Drehen des Drehhalters um die Drehachse wird die erste Halterung mit der ersten Petrischale in die obere Position und die zweite Halterung mit der zweiten Petrischale in die untere Position gebracht, während der Deckel und der Boden jeder Petrischale gegeneinander gedrückt werden.

Finally, the invention also relates to a method for operating said device, comprising the following steps:

1. a) The first holder is placed in the lower and the second holder in the upper position;
2. b) a first petri dish is positioned in the first holder and a second petri dish is positioned in the second holder - this may occur before, during or after step a);
3. c) by rotating the rotary holder about the axis of rotation, the first holder with the first Petri dish is brought into the upper position and the second holder with the second Petri dish in the lower position while the lid and the bottom of each Petri dish are pressed against each other.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine Lagervorrichtung für Petrischalen,
• Fig. 2 eine Vorrichtung zur Handhabung von Petrischalen mit Drehhalter und Greifer,
• Fig. 3 die Vorrichtung nach Fig. 2 in Schnittansicht,
• Fig. 4 eine Ausführung der Andruckelemente mit Spreizantrieb,
• Fig. 5 die Anordnung von Fig. 4 von der Seite her gesehen,
• Fig. 6 eine Ausführung des Deckelhalters und
• Fig. 7 eine Ausführung eines Greifers.

Further embodiments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and from the following description with reference to FIGS. Showing:

• Fig. 1 a schematic plan view of a storage device for Petri dishes,
• Fig. 2 a device for handling Petri dishes with rotary holder and gripper,
• Fig. 3 the device after Fig. 2 in sectional view,
• Fig. 4 an embodiment of the pressure elements with spreading drive,
• Fig. 5 the arrangement of Fig. 4 seen from the side,
• Fig. 6 an embodiment of the lid holder and
• Fig. 7 an embodiment of a gripper.

Ways to carry out the invention

Fig. 1 shows a storage device for Petri dishes. This comprises an incubator 1, in which a bearing 2 in the form of a carousel and a transport device 3 are arranged. Components of this kind are eg in EP 2 482 079 described. In the camp 2, the Petri dishes 10, each having a lid and a bottom, stored with the lid down, while the culture to be incubated is located on the top floor.

The incubator 1 is a climatic chamber, in the interior 4 a predetermined temperature, atmosphere and / or humidity can be maintained. On one side of the incubator 1, a user door 5 is arranged, via which the user can access the interior 4. On the user door 5 opposite side of the incubator 1 is a lock opening 6, which can be closed with a motor-operated lock door 7.

The transport device 3 serves to arrange the Petri dishes 10 through the lock opening 6 between the bearing 2 and one outside the incubator 1 Rotary holder 8 to move. The rotary holder 8 will be described later in detail. The transport device 3 has a blade 9, which can each receive a Petri dish 10. The blade 9 is height-adjustable, about an axis 11 pivotally and radially to the axis 11 extendable. The Drehalter 8 is so outside the Schleuson8ffnung 6 arranged that a Petri dish 10 can be introduced by means of linear translational movement through the lock opening 6 in a (further described below) lower position of the rotary holder or removed therefrom, and advantageously over the linear translational movement, which is generated by horizontal extension and retraction of the blade 9. The translational movement for loading the rotary holder 8 runs parallel to a (also described below) axis of rotation of the rotary holder.

• Der Drehhalter 8 dient dazu, die vom Lager 2 kommenden (oder dorthin zurückkehrenden) Petrischalen zu wenden, so dass ihr Boden nach unten zu liegen kommt und den Boden und den Deckel zu trennen, so dass der Boden vom Greifer 14 ergriffen werden kann.
• Der Greifer 14 dient dazu, den Boden einer Petrischale zur Analysevorrichtung 15 zu bringen, wo die Kultur z.B. optisch analysiert wird,
• Die Inspektionskamera 16 dient dazu, die Petrischale vor dem Trennen von Deckel und Boden auf Kontaminationen mit gefährlichen Keimen zu prüfen, so dass im Falle einer Kontamination das Öffnen der Petrischale unterdrückt und so ein Austreten unerwünschter Keime vermieden werden kann.
• Die Analysevorrichtung 15 inspiziert den Boden der Petrischale in geöffnetem Zustand.

The components of the system arranged outside of the incubator 1 are referred to in this text and the claims as "device for handling petri dishes". In particular, they comprise the aforementioned rotary holder 8, a gripper 14, an analysis device 15 (or, more generally, a processing device) and inspection camera 16 (FIG. Fig. 2 ). These components, which are described in more detail below, have the following tasks:

• The rotary holder 8 serves to turn the petri dishes coming from the bearing 2 (or returning there) so that their bottom comes to lie down and separate the bottom and the lid, so that the bottom can be gripped by the gripper 14.
• The gripper 14 serves to bring the bottom of a Petri dish to the analysis device 15, where the culture is eg analyzed optically,
• The inspection camera 16 is used to check the Petri dish before separating lid and bottom on contamination with dangerous germs, so that in case of contamination, the opening of the Petri dish suppressed and so leakage of unwanted germs can be avoided.
• The analysis device 15 inspects the bottom of the Petri dish in the open state.

A possible construction of the rotary holder 8 opens up from the FIGS. 2 to 6 , It has a rotary body 20, which can be rotated by a drive about a horizontally extending axis of rotation 21 by at least 180 °. On the rotary body 20, two brackets 22 are arranged ( Fig. 2 . 3 ), each of which can receive a Petri dish. The brackets 22 can be rotated by rotation of the rotary body 20 about the rotation axis 21, such that one of them is in a lower position 23 and the other in an upper position 24.

How out Fig. 3 As can be seen, a holder 29 is provided, which can be fixed to the outer wall of the incubator 1, and rotatably supports the rotary holder 8 in a bearing 30 about the rotation axis 21.

Each holder 22 has a lid holder 26 for receiving and holding the lid 10a of a Petri dish and a pressure element 27, with which the lid 10b can be pressed against the bottom 10a. For this purpose, the lid holder 26 and the pressure element 27 can be moved radially against each other. In the illustrated embodiment, for this purpose, the two pressure elements 27 are radially movable, while the lid holder 26 are located on a fixed radial position.

In order to move the pressure elements 27, a common spreading drive is provided. This comprises a spreading motor 33 which is arranged on the rotary body 20. The drive pinion of the Spreizmotors 33 drives two racks 34 ( Fig. 4, 5 ), which are movable in opposite directions in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 21. On each rack 34, a first spring holder 35 is arranged, and in each spring holder 35, two parallel leaf springs 36 are held. These leaf springs, which over the first spring holders 35 and the racks 34 are connected to the spreading drive, extend perpendicular to the rotation axis 21. They are arranged so that their surface normal (ie the surface normal to the largest two surfaces of each leaf spring) are perpendicular to the axis of rotation 21. The first spring holder 35 opposite ends of the leaf springs 36 are each attached to a second spring holder 39, which in turn carries one of the pressure elements 27. The two leaf springs 36 associated with a pressure element 27 each have different distances from the axis of rotation 21. In this way, an elastic bearing for each pressure element, which allows a radial deflection of the pressure elements, but prevents tilting of the pressure elements.

Each pressure element 27 is formed by a plate having a raised, circular rim 41 which laterally guides the base 10b of the petri dish in the upper position 24.

As in particular from Fig. 6 can be seen, each lid holder 26 has a frame 42 which is fixedly connected to the rotary holder 8. On the frame 42 two mutually movable arms 43 are slidably mounted, which can be moved synchronously by a drive 44 against each other. In order to ensure a synchronization of the movements of the arms 43, 43 racks 45 are arranged on the arms, which engage on opposite sides of a pinion (see pinion bearing 49). The drive 44 is designed as a linear drive, with which the arms 43 can be pressed apart against a spring force.

On each arm 43 there is resiliently disposed a finger 46 carrying two abutments 47 which are positioned to radially support the lid 10a of a petri dish disposed in the holder radially from the outside.

To hold the lid of a Petri dish, the arms 43 are moved towards each other, so that the Press the tips of the fingers 46 against the outside of the lid and clamp it firmly.

The components of in Fig. 6 Lid holder 26 shown are arranged around a recess 50 around, by which at least 80%, in particular at least 90%, of the lid of the Petri dish are radially observable from the outside. In this way, an optical inspection by the aforementioned inspection camera 16 is possible when a Petri dish is in the lower position 23. The inspection camera 16 picks up the incubation radially from the outside through the lid 10a to inspect it and to detect, for example, an unexpected growth caused by foreign nuclei.

In order to improve the contrast for the inspection camera 16, the (petri dish side) side of each of the plate-shaped pressing members 27 facing the respective petri dish is optically homogeneous, i. the reflectivity changes over the surface by at most 10%. In particular, the petri dish side surface is dark, i. it has an optical reflectivity of less than 20%, in particular of less than 10%, at least one wavelength between 300 and 1000 nm. The said wavelength is that wavelength (or that wavelength range) at which the inspection camera 16 performs its measurement.

How out Fig. 2 and 3 can be seen, a linear guide 51 is arranged on the holder 29, on which the gripper 14 can be moved in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation 21.

The structure of the gripper 14 results from Fig. 7 , The gripper has clamping members to clamp the bottom 10b of the petri dish in the upper position 24 by lateral forces. Similar to the lid holder 26, the clamping members are held on two arms 53 which can be synchronously moved by a drive 54 against each other. To synchronize the movement of the arms 53, these are attached to racks 55, which in the engage opposite sides of a pinion.

The clamping members of the gripper 14 have fingers 56, which are resiliently held by leaf springs 57. Each finger engages with its end opposite the rotary holder 8 in a guide 58 a. This guide is formed by the gap between two spaced plates 59, 60 and limits the movement of the ends and thus the fingers 56 up and down so as to avoid damage.

The gripper 14 is arranged so that it can grasp the bottom 10 b of a petri dish in the upper position 24 or place it in the upper position 24.

On the opposite side of the gripper 14 has the rotary holder 8 recesses 60 ( Fig. 3 ), through which the transport device 3 of the system can access the Petri dish in the lower position 22.

• Muss eine Petrischale 10 dem Lager 2 entnommen und zur Analysevorrichtung 15 gebracht werden, wird das Lager 2 so gedreht, dass die Transporteinrichtung 3 auf die gewünschte Petrischale 10 zugreifen kann. Sie entnimmt mit ihrer Schaufel 9 die Petrischale 10 dem Lager 2. Die Schleusentüre 7 wird geöffnet und die Schaufel 9 wird in einer linearen Translationsbewegung durch die Schleusenöffnung 6 gefahren. Sie legt die Petrischale im Deckelhalter 26 der Halterung 22 in der unteren Position 23 ab. Der Deckel 10a wird von der Klemmvorrichtung des Deckelhalters 26 seitlich fixiert. Die Andruckelemente 27 werden gespreizt, so dass das untere Andruckelement gegen den Boden 10b der in der unteren Position 23 gelagerten Petrischale drückt und so den Boden 10b auf dem Deckel 10a fixiert.

The operation of the plant described is as follows:

• If a Petri dish 10 has to be removed from the bearing 2 and brought to the analysis device 15, the bearing 2 is rotated so that the transport device 3 can access the desired Petri dish 10. It takes with its blade 9, the Petri dish 10 to the camp 2. The lock door 7 is opened and the blade 9 is moved in a linear translational movement through the lock opening 6. She puts the Petri dish in the lid holder 26 of the bracket 22 in the lower position 23 from. The lid 10 a is laterally fixed by the clamping device of the lid holder 26. The pressure elements 27 are spread so that the lower pressure element presses against the bottom 10b of the Petri dish stored in the lower position 23 and thus fixes the bottom 10b on the lid 10a.

At the same time, before or after can with the inspection camera 16, the Petri dish on foreign germs be inspected. If we recognize a foreign germ, for example, an alarm is given and the Petri dish can be eliminated.

Now, the rotary holder 8 is rotated about the rotation axis 21 by 180 °. In this case, the Petri dish is turned, so that after the rotation of the rotary holder 8 in the upper position 24 of the lid 10a above and the bottom 10b is down. At the same time, a second Petri dish, which was previously in upper position, is moved down and turned back.

Now the spreading drive 33 is put into operation, and the pressing elements 27 are brought from their outward position to an intermediate position. Thereby, the bottom 10b of the Petri dish is lowered in the upper position 24 and releases from the lid. At the same time, the possibly second Petri dish in the lower position 23 is released, so that it can be e.g. detected by the transport device 3 and can be transferred to the warehouse 2.

Now the gripper 14 moves with his fingers 56 in the upper position 24 and takes the bottom 10 b of the local Petri dish. Thereafter, the spreading drive 33 is operated again to bring the pressure elements 27 from its intermediate position in a radially innermost position. As a result, the edge 41 of the upper pressure element 27 is lowered below the bottom 10b, so that the claw 14 can extend the bottom 10b from the upper position and move it to the analysis device 15 without colliding with the edge 41.

The gripper 14 then brings the bottom 10b over the analyzer 15 where the incubate can be analyzed.

To bring the bottom 10b or the Petri dish back into the bearing 2, the bottom 10b is first returned by the gripper 14 to the upper position 24, the pressure elements 27 are spread in the radially outermost position, the rotary holder 8 is rotated and the transport device 3 removes the Petri dish from the lower position 22 for the purpose of returning to the camp. 2

Remarks:

In the described embodiment, ball chain bearings are advantageously used in the linear guides.

To detect the presence of petri dishes in the holders 22 and / or in the gripper 14, suitable sensors, such as optical sensors, can be used. An example of such a sensor 70 for the brackets 22 is shown in FIG 4 and 5 shown. It is mounted on the pressure element 27 and designed to perform an optical reflection measurement at the bottom 10a of the Petri dish through an opening 71.

In the above embodiments, the claimed device for handling of Petri dishes outside the incubator 1 is arranged. In principle, however, can also be arranged within the incubator 1.

The pressure elements 27 are freely positionable and their different positions can be adapted to the respective requirements. In particular, the radially outermost position may be related to the height of the load, i. to the height of the Petri dish. Furthermore, the positions of the pressure elements can be adapted to the swivel height and to the retraction height of the gripper.

The rotary holder 8 has two supports 22 for Petri dishes in the above embodiments. Also conceivable are designs with more than two brackets, for example three or four brackets, which are distributed uniformly over the circumference of the rotary holder 8. In this case, the rotary holder 8 rotates per step each less than 180 °. The pressure elements 27 are designed in this case so that they only the respective Release Petri dishes in the top and bottom positions.

As erwährit, the arms 43, 53 are advantageous synchronously movable against each other, which is realized in the embodiments described above on racks, which engage on opposite sides of a pinion. Alternatively, other mechanical (or electrical) means may be used to synchronize the arm positions, e.g. Cams or joints.

While preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the present application, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and may be embodied otherwise within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (17)

A device for handling Petri dishes having a bottom and a lid, the device being adapted to receive a Petri dish with the lid down, at least to turn the bottom of the Petri dish and give or vice versa, characterized in that the device to a an axis of rotation (21) rotatable rotary holder (8) on which at least a first and a second holder (22) are arranged for Petri dishes, wherein by rotating the rotary holder (8) the first holder (22) from a lower position (23) in an upper position (24) and the second holder (22) from the upper position (24) in the lower position (23) can be brought and in the holders (22) held Petri dishes are reversible. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each holder (22) comprises a lid holder (26) for receiving the lid of a Petri dish, and a pressure element (27), wherein the pressure element (27) and the lid holder (26) with respect to the rotational axis (21) radially are movable against each other to push the lid of the Petri dish against the ground, Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressure elements (27) of both holders (22) are movable radially outwards by a common spreading drive (33). Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each pressure element (27) is coupled to the spreading drive (33) via at least two parallel leaf springs (36), the surface normal of the leaf springs (36) being perpendicular to the axis of rotation (21) and the leaf springs (36) being different Have distances to the rotation axis (21), such that the leaf springs allow an elastic radial deflection without tilting of the pressure elements (27). Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the pressure elements (27) Petrischalenseitig are formed by optically homogeneous plates, in particular plates having an optical reflectivity of less than 20% at at least one wavelength between 300 and 1000 nm. Device according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the lid holder (26) has a recess (50) through which at least 80%, in particular at least 90%, of the lid of the Petri dish are observable radially from the outside. The device of claim 6, wherein the lid holder (26) has abutments (47), the abutments (47) being positioned to radially support the lid of a petri dish disposed in the holder (22). Device according to one of claims 2 to 7, wherein each lid holder (26) comprises a lid holding device, with which the lid without the bottom in the upper position (24) is firmly held, and in particular wherein the lid-holder device clamping members (46) between which the lid can be clamped by lateral forces. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an inspection camera (16) with which a petri dish located in the lower position (23) is radially viewable from outside through the lid. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a gripper (14) with which the bottom of a petri dish is removable from the upper position (24) or insertable into the upper position (24). Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gripper (14) in a direction parallel to the rotation axis (21) is translationally movable and clamping members (56). between which the ground can be clamped by lateral forces. Device according to one of claims 8 or 11, wherein the clamping members are held on two arms (43, 53), wherein the arms (43, 53) of a drive (44, 54) are synchronously movable against each other, and in particular wherein the two arms (43, 53) on racks (45, 55) are arranged, which engage on opposite sides of a pinion. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the clamping members comprise fingers (56) for pressing against the ground, the fingers (56) being resiliently supported and engaged at their ends opposite the rotary holder (8) in a guide (58), the guide (58) limits the movement of these ends up and down. Device according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the rotary holder (8) has on a side opposite the gripper (14) side recesses (60) through which Petri dishes in the lower position (23) can be inserted and / or removed therefrom. Storage device for storage and manipulation of petri dishes with a device for handling petri dishes according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a bearing (2) for receiving a plurality of petri dishes with the lid down and a processing device (15), wherein the petri dishes with the device for handling Petri dishes on a transport path between the bearing (2) and the processing device (15) are reversible. Bearing device according to claim 15, wherein the bearing (2) is arranged in an incubator (1), which has a lock opening (6), and wherein in the incubator (1) a transport device (3) for moving Petri dishes between the bearing (2) and the rotary holder (8) through the lock opening (6) is arranged, wherein the rotary holder (8) is arranged outside the lock opening (6) that by means of the transport device (3) a Petri dish can be introduced into or removed from the lower position by linear translational movement through the lock opening (6), and in particular wherein the linear translational movement is parallel to the axis of rotation (21). A method of operating the device for handling petri dishes according to any one of claims 1 to 14, comprising the steps a) the first holder (22) is placed in the lower and the second holder (22) in the upper position, b) a first petri dish is positioned in the first holder (22) and a second petri dish is positioned in the second holder (22), before, during or after step a), c) by turning the rotary holder (8) about the axis of rotation (21), the first holder (22) with the first Petri dish in the upper position and the second holder (22) with the second Petri dish in the lower position, while the lid and the bottom of each petri dish are pressed against each other.

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